Patent application title: Fishing lure

Abstract:

A fishing lure device is provided which includes a frame having an eye at
the forward end thereof with first and second rearwardly extending and
diverging frame members extending therefrom. Spinner blades or buzz
blades are rotatably mounted on the first frame member and a fish lure is
attached to the rearward end of the second frame member by means of a
quick-attach mechanism so that different fish lures may be selectively
removably positioned on the rearward end of the second frame member.

Claims:

1. A fishing lure device, comprising:a frame means having a forward end
and a rearward end;said frame means including an eye device at its
forward end for receiving one end of a fishing line;said frame means
including first and second frame members extending from said eye device
in a generally rearwardly and diverging manner;said first frame member
having at least one blade rotatably mounted thereon;said second frame
member having a quick-attach mechanism at its rearward end to enable a
fishing lure to be selectively removably attached thereto.

2. The fishing lure device of claim 1 wherein a spinner blade is rotatably
mounted on said first frame member.

3. The fishing lure device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of spinner
blades are rotatably mounted on said first frame member.

4. The fishing lure device of claim 1 wherein a buzz blade is rotatably
mounted on said first frame member.

5. The fishing lure device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of buzz blades
are rotatably mounted on said first frame member.

6. The fishing lure device of claim 1 wherein the rearward end of said
second frame member has a U-shaped portion formed therein with a
forwardly depending end portion and wherein a tubular member is slidably
mounted on said second frame and which may be slidably moved rearwardly
on said second frame member to embrace said forwardly depending end
portion to provide a means for selectively removably attaching a fishing
lure to said U-shaped portion.

7. The fishing lure of claim 6 wherein said tubular member comprises an
elongated coil spring.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001]1. Field of the Invention

[0002]This invention relates to a fishing lure and more particularly to a
fishing lure wherein the lure portion thereof may be quickly and easily
removed therefrom and replaced by another lure.

[0003]2. Description of the Related Art

[0004]FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art fishing lure device 10 which
comprises a wire frame 12 including frame members 14 and 16 which extend
rearwardly from an eye 18 in a diverging relationship. The eye 18 is
adapted to have a fishing line secured thereto in conventional fashion.
Spinner blades 20 are attached to frame member 14 in conventional
fashion. Often, the lure device 10 will have buzz blades rotatably
mounted on frame member 14 rather than the spinner blades 20. A weight 22
is affixed to the rearward end of frame member 16 and usually is shaped
and colored to resemble a bait fish. Fish hook 24 extends rearwardly from
weight 22 with strands or filaments 26 extending rearwardly from weight
22 to camouflage fish hook 24. Although the prior art fishing lure device
10 does satisfactorily perform, if the fisherman desires to use another
lure with the same type of spinner blade arrangement as seen in FIG. 1,
the fisherman must replace the entire fishing lure device 10 since the
weight 22, hook 24 and filaments 26 are permanently attached to the frame
member 16 of wire frame 12. Further, if the frame 12 becomes damaged so
as to require the replacement thereof, the entire lure device must be
replaced. If the fish hook 24 becomes damaged so as to require
replacement thereof, the entire fishing lure device must be replaced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005]This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a
simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed
Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or
essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary
is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed
subject matter.

[0006]A fishing lure device is disclosed comprising a wire frame means
having a forward end and a rearward end with the frame means including an
eye device at its forward end for receiving one end of a fishing line.
The wire frame means includes first and second frame members extending
from the eye device in a generally rearwardly and diverging manner. The
first frame member has at least one blade rotatably mounted thereon which
may be a spinner blade or a buzz blade. The second frame member has a
quick-attach mechanism at its rearward end to enable a fishing lure to be
selectively removably attached thereto.

[0007]It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved
fishing lure device.

[0008]A further object of the invention is to provide a fishing lure
device wherein different lures may be attached thereto without replacing
the entire lure device.

[0009]A further object of the invention is to provide a fishing lure
device including a quick-attach mechanism to enable different lures to be
mounted thereon.

[0010]These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the
art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention
are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like
reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views
unless otherwise specified.

[0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art fishing lure;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fishing lure of this invention;

[0014]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a modified form of this
invention;

[0015]FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 except that the lure has been
attached to the wire frame;

[0016]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 except that the wire frame has a
pair of buzz blades secured thereto;

[0017]FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrating
the manner in which different lures may be attached to the wire frames;
and

[0018]FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which a lure
may be attached to two different blade arrangements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019]Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the
accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of
illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are
disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to
practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many
different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the
embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is,
therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the
present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

[0020]As stated above, FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art fishing lure device
10 which comprises a wire frame 12 including frame members 14 and 16
which extend rearwardly from an eye 18 in a diverging relationship. The
eye 18 is adapted to have a fishing line 19 secured thereto in
conventional fashion. Spinner blades 20 are attached to frame member 14
in conventional fashion. Often, the lure device 10 will have one or more
buzz blades 21 rotatably mounted on frame member 14 rather than the
spinner blades 20. A weight 22 is affixed to the rearward end of frame
member 16 and usually is shaped and colored to resemble a bait fish. Fish
hook 24 extends rearwardly from weight 22. Usually, strands or filaments
26 extend rearwardly from weight 22 to hide, shield or camouflage the
fish hook 24.

[0021]If the fisherman desires to use another lure with the same type of
spinner blade arrangement as seen in FIG. 1, the fisherman must replace
the entire lure device 10 since the weight 22, hook 24 and filaments 26
are permanently attached to the wire frame 12. Further, if the frame 12
becomes damaged so as to require the replacement thereof, the entire
fishing lure device 10 must be replaced. If the fish hook 24 becomes
damaged so as to require replacement thereof, the entire fishing lure
device 10 must be replaced.

[0022]One form of the improved fishing lure device of this invention is
shown in FIG. 2 and designated by the reference numeral 28. Device 28
includes a wire frame 30 including frame members 32 and 34 extending from
eye 36. Spinner blades 38 are attached to frame member 32 in conventional
fashion. Frame member 34 has an end portion 40 which extends forwardly
from an eye or loop portion 42. A tubular member 44 is loosely slidably
mounted on frame member 34 and may be slipped rearwardly over end portion
40, when end portion 40 has been pressed, pushed or deflected towards
frame member 34 so that the eye 42 will be closed.

[0023]The numeral 46 refers to a lure including a weight 48 having an eye
50 which may be selectively removably received by the loop portion 42.
Obviously, the eye 50 is attached to the loop portion 42 prior to the
tubular member 44 being moved rearwardly on frame member 34 to close the
loop portion 42.

[0024]In the lure device 28, if the fisherman desires to replace the lure
46 with a different lure, the tubular member 44 is slipped forwardly on
frame member 34 to release the end portion 40. The lure 46 is then
removed from the loop portion 42 and a different lure is mounted on the
loop portion 42 with the tubular member 44 then being moved rearwardly
over end portion 40 to "lock" the different lure onto the device.

[0025]In FIG. 3, a modified form of the fishing lure device is illustrated
and referred to by the reference numeral 28'. The only difference between
that shown in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3 is that the wire frame 30' is bent at
52 and that one or more buzz blades 21 are rotatably mounted on the
rearwardly extending portion 32A of frame member 32. The eye 18 in FIG. 3
is also somewhat different than the eye 36 in FIG. 2.

[0026]As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the device 28 and the device 28' may have
different lures quickly and easily attached thereto without replacing the
entire device. It can therefore be seen that the device of this invention
accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

[0027]As seen in FIG. 7, the same lure may be attached to either the wire
frame 30 or the wire frame 30' to provide two different lures with one
lure being used with the buzz blades 21 of wire frame 28' so that the
lure is a surface lure or with the wire frame 28 with the spinner blades
38 so that the lure becomes a sub-surface lure. Further, the buzz blades
21 and spinner blades 38 may be used with other lures at the fisherman's
discretion.

[0028]Although the invention has been described in language that is
specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be
understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not
necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described.
Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of
implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the
invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.